John 8

1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2Early in the morning he came again to the temple; all the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought to him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4they said to him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say?" 6They said this to test him, that they might have something of which to accuse him. But Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger. 7And when they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." 8And again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9Then those who heard it went away one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last, and Jesus was left alone, with the woman standing before him. 10Jesus straightened up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more."

12Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." 13The Pharisees then said to him, "You are bearing witness of yourself; your testimony is not true." 14Jesus answered, "Even if I bear witness of myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. 15You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16And yet if I do judge, my judgment is true, for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me. 17In your own law it is written that the testimony of two men is true. 18I am One who bears witness of myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness of me." 19Then they said to him, "Where is your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither me nor my Father; if you knew me, you would know my Father also." 20These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

21Then Jesus said to them again, "I am going away, and you will seek me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come." 22Then the Jews said, "Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?" 23He said to them, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24Therefore I told to you that you would die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins." 25They said to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them, "Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. 26I have much to say about you and much to judge; but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him." 27They did not understand that he spoke to them of the Father. 28So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority but speak just what the Father taught me. 29And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him." 30As he spoke these words, many believed in him.

31Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples. 32And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." 33They answered him, "We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will be made free’?" 34Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 35And a slave does not continue in the house forever, but a son continues forever. 36So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, yet you seek to kill me, because my word has no place in you.

38I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your Father." 39They answered him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the things Abraham did, 40but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41You do the deeds of your father." They said to him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God." 42Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I proceeded and came forth from God; I have not come of my own accord, but he sent me. 43Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you are not able to hear my word. 44You are of your father the devil, and you want to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.

46Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47He who is of God hears the words of God; the reason you do not hear them is that you are not of God." 48The Jews answered him, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?" 49Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it and he will be the judge.

51Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word he will never see death." 52The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets; and you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 53Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you claim to be?" 54Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is your God. 55But you have not known him; I know him. If I said, I do not know him, I would be a liar like you; but I do know him and keep his word. 56Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad." 57The Jews then said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?" 58Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am." 59So they took up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.